Sunken-submarine indicator



Aug. 26, 1930. c. PETERSON l 1,774,185

SUNKEN SUBMARINE INDICATOR Filed Feb. 13, 1929` 2 SheOtS-Shet 1 Aug. 26, 1930. y(3, PETERSQN 1,774,185

SUNKEN SUBMARINE INDICATOR Filed Feb. 13, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 2e, 1930 cnnisrornnnrnnnnsoiv, or Los ANGELES, cani-FORMA sUivKnN-snnivraninn innrciiron Anpneatimi inea February -1e, inea fseriai'ivp. 339,565'.

My invention is a sunken submarine indicator. Y n 1 j 'An object'of my invention is an indicator whichmay be releasedfby a sunken submarine `5 and` when a-.buoy is floated to the surface of Y the water gives a signal; In addition the buoy hasa connection for telephone communication and the mooring Cable of the vbuoy may be utilizedto lower a cable ring,'this,ring`be 10 coming engaged with a hook on the subma-V rine so that by utilizing a nsufficient number of hooks the submarine' may ybe salvaged;

l A yfurther object of my invention in vconnection with the signal is .mounting Vaplui5 rality of skyrockets "or the like in the top ofy the buoy, these being arranged Yto be fir'edelec-I trically from the sunken submarine; the r'okf; ets thereby giving signalsk to vvessels and indicating the approximate position .of thev 2o sunken submarine. In this connection a further object of my invention is in locating thev skyrockets in water tight compartments, the

top vof such 'compartments being frangibleV and broken by the discharge ofk a ro`cket.`

'Another objectof myinventionvin connection with the buoy is the manner of releasing the buoy from a container in the submarine, this being done by the container Vfilling 'with water and the buoy ink floating unlatching 3o closure hatches in they deck ofthe submarine.

1When the buoyrises tothe surface a salvage' vessel may get into lconimunicationwith the submarine by atelephone connection and on unhitching the mooring 'cable' Yfrom the buoy 35 an' air hose may bepulled down: into the submarine, ci frein the submarine up. There` fore a. still further objectvof my invention is in the constructional mechanism ofthe sub# l marine by which thehosemay be 'pulledinto i0 the interior. 1 f

In' salvaginga submarine a yfurther object of my invention.is in havinga substantial hook located in the buoy compartment, this hook being arranged .toxengage with aring 45 which may be slid downwardly on themoor-f ing cable so that itwillA pass, underneath; the

hook Yand thisihook-z may .then` function `tot allow lifting or salvaging ofthe'sub'marine;

'.For this -use it is desirable' that ythere be a.` l50 plurality of releasablefbuoys with a' hook in panyingdrawiiigs, in which lnected thereto; r

.nailed generally by the ninneralllg is illus#v trated as having cylindrical sideslZ vand a floor 13.r The'sides terminate at the deck.

the buoy compartment. .Asa modification I may employ a buoy with a hose connectedv thereto, this buoy being floatable to the surface and-having an air intake, this being arranged with aj f-rangible closure. This closure 5a I"may,beruptured by-thccrew ofthe submarine FigA is a vertical sectionof-the lower part of the buoy'comp-artment, showing the mannerof passingA a hose into the submarine or out; "i @i i Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic elevation and verticaly section showing lthe fioat-ing- ,buoy connected to the sunken submarine;

Fig. (iris a diagrammatic elevationandv part vertical section showing a step yin the I A salvaging ofthe submarine byV lowering .the lftnarng; v f f f Fig-7 `'s a verticalsection through'a modified form of'buoy havinganfairhosecon( Fig'. 8 is a det-ailY lrsectionithrough i Vthe intakeend of the hoseof Fig.f7, illustrating the'frangibleinlet cover;y e

is a detail showingthe4V method of securing a mooringifring or yhookjto the' sub- B5 marine by pulling downwardly onthebuoy cablewhendetached'fromthebnoy Y Referring iii-st tothe construction of l' through rhthe buoy `compafrftnient desigl of the submarine. vifilhat'chjfl hastwo 'leaves' 16 fand 1'? niGunted'On; spring hinges .1 8 on the Vdeck of the submarinethese leaves 05 overlap'and the. overlapping"leaf"has-ay depending stud 19' vwitlfia bell'crank latch- 2Q connected thereto :bythe pin 2i'. 'Ehe-'latch hasl asho'rt hook arm QQengagin'g'l under- Vneathja'detentQn the: cylindrical'wall'] 2. 100*` M The long arm 24 of the bell crank has a bentcompartment. 1n order to flow water therein'at lesser depth a pipe 29 having a valve 30 leads from the deck into the buoy compartmentand may be cont-rolled from inside the submarine,V The air in the buoy compartmentis allowed to escape'by the pipe 31 having a control valve 32, this air preferably escaping into the submarine.

The buoy designated generally by the numeral`33 is more" or less ofa spherical structure and fwhen'in the compartment may be supported by the vbrackets`34 secured to the wall 12 of the buoy compartment. The buoy is vprovided withpa closure cap 35 preferably riveted thereto havinga central hand hole closure plug`36. This has a raised boss 37 which engages the downturned ends25 of the long arms 24 of lthebellV crank latches 20. When water Vills the buoy compartmentl it floats upwardly pressing on the long arms 24 and disconnecting the hookfend 2O Yof the latch from the detent 23. `This allows the leaves 16 andy 17 of the'hatch to turn outwardly under the influence ofthe Aspring of the hinges and also by the force of the buoy inrising upwardly. f

The buoy carries a mooring cable 38 detachably connected to its bottom, this cable ybeing coiled as indicated at 39 on the kfloor of the buoy compartment around 'the hub 40. The cable ypasses a water tight closure desi gnated generally by the numeral 41.y This closurewis madef byhavingA a funnel-shaped structure 42`secured. to the floor in the center of the hub. The neck of Vthis funnel is centered atan opening 43 in the floor. An open frame 44 is secured to the underside of the floor and in this a flexible rubber sleeve'45 is located; this sleeve being secured to the underside of the floor and to the bottom of the frame. The lower end off-the sleeve y45 has flanges 46 engaged by the clamps47 which will'all'ow slight squeezingof this sleeve.

A split clamp ring 48 is fitted on the outsidey of the rubber sleeve and has tapered threads engaged by the nut 49.` A removable bushing `50` which. maybe split if desired,is

,fitted around the mooring cable and inside of the rubber sleeve 45, this sleeve being clamped tight toivmake` a ywater-,tight fit. Thelower portionfl fjthemooring cable'v is coiled on 'a reel 52'mou'ntedin a bracket 53:,and oper- (Note Figs.. 2 and 4.) f

When therbuoy is floatedv to the surface and ated by a crank v54 or other suitable means.

been picked up by a salvage vessel, the mooring cable may be detached from the buoy and the upper end connected to a threaded plug 55 in a hose coupling 56 on the end of the flexible hose 57. The crew of the submarine may then reel in the mooring cable and in so doing pull down the air hose 57. This hose is guided by the funnel 42 and passing into the rubber sleeve 45. The bushing 5() is shoved out ef place by the connection of the mooring cable to the plug l55 and at the same time the lower end of the hose enters the sleeve 45. The nut 49 is adjusted so as to squeeze the sleeve with the desired pressure.

n. soft rubber washer 58 on the hose lits in the funnel 42 vand Yprevents water passing downwardly on the outside of the hose. The hose should be well greased to allow free slipping through the rubber sleeve 45 and when `the hose has been drawn into the submarine it may be connected by various .hose or other pipe 4connections to the different compartments of the submarine and used to convey air either to sustain the life of the crew'or blow out the water from flooded partments. lf desired, the salvage vessel may draw .the hose upwardly from the sub marine.

A separate electrical-cable63 is illustrated as being connected to vthe buoy passing through a plug 64. This is coiled as indicated at 65 yin the floor of the buoy compartment, thecoils being parallel to those ofthe mooring cable and this electric lcable leads downwardly through a metal tube 66 constructed through the floor of the buoy compartment there being a packing gland with suitable packing 67 around the electriccable. This packing is sufliciently tight so cable may be let outor drawn in on the reel without admitting water. These constructions allow the mooring cable and also the telephone cable to be let out when the buoy rises to the surface `and to be drawn inwardly if desired.

The indicator or signalling device is comprised of a series of skyrockets 68. Each of these rockets is mounted in a compartment 69 formed by a metal basket structure designated generally by the numeral 70 and depending from the closure cap 35. Tn the construction illustrated there are six of these rockets in the rocket compartment. Each of these compartments have a frangible cover 71 made of asuitable water-proof fabric or equivalent device which may be severed on the kdischarge of the rocket. Therockets are discharged by electrical means. The wires 72 in .the electric cable lead to terminals 73 on the base of the rocket holding basket and in each of the rocket compartments there is an insulating plate 7 4 with contacts 7 5 which engage electric. spark gap contact-s 7 6 on the base of the rockets. Therefore when the buoy is floated to the surface the crew in the submarine may establish a circuit through lit? anyone of the leads to theindividua'lrockets;4

sparking'device whi'chignites 4fthe powder;

the discharge of the roclrets breaking tlie rEhe tube 104 is provided'witha frangibletopv frangible cover 7-1. l

An electric light 77 is mounted on'a holder 7 8 depending'froml the hand holefplug 36.

Thislanip has electric leads 79 connected from the electric conductor to the submarine.

. By vthis means thelight maybe illuminated the submarine.

yand shines `outwardly through ports having suitableV glass covers, this being protected i by grids.v This'means gives jan' illumination v of the'buoy. rIhe holder 8"'i`s"supported in a tube 82v dependin'gfroin theA--handhold opening and when the plugis removed the crew of the salvage vessel may move the telephonetransmitter and receiver 83 andl communicate by telephone withv the crew of the submarine.

rlhe arrangement for salvagng 'the submarine is by means of the hook A84.r Thisy hook has a base illustrated as attached to the side wall 12 of the buoy compartment as illustrated at 85. The hook has a perforation 86. therethrough through 4which extends thev mooring cable 38. VIn. F ig. 6 there is indicated a salvage vessel 87 `with the mooring cable drawn up through a hawse-hole 88. The vessel is illustrated as lowering a heavy ring 89 secured to a lifting cable or chain 90. rThis ring is guided by the mooring cable and slips over the lower end 91 of thehook '84. The ring slips upwardly 'until it passes underneath the outwardly spring pressed Vlatch finger 92 which is mounted on a pivot pin 93. l/Vh'en the ring is infirm engagement with the hook 84 an upward pull may be exerted bythe salvage vessel in the endeavor to raisel 1n this construction the Vbuoy 94 Vmaybe of any suitable construction and is illustrated as having a deck surface 95 with an air Aiii,-

vtake hood 96 mounted thereon. This hood has a dome 97 with side walls 98 having open- -ings99 therein. The'side walls are attached to a flange ring 100 which fits in an opening in the deck 95. A ltube 101 extends upwardly inside of the flange ring and-has an outwardfl ly and downwardlyfflared ytop or flange 102. A ring-like plug 103 is mounted inside of the tube 101 and through this there is a tube 104 which has a4 pipe 105 tted therein. Thispipe passes downwardly through an'opening in a ballast weight 106-in the base of the i buoy and passes through acompressible packyintake of air. The dome 97, theopenings l99 and the tube 101of the downwardly. curvedY 'fiange -102 prevent entrance of` water while It is intended that the sub-f marinewill be equipped with a number of 'nected to a hose 107. This'hose is intended to-be coiled in the buoy ycompartment-an'd to lead into the submarine so that onfloatatioiir of the buoy'th'e hose will be pulled upwardly.

nested to the frangible cover 108.

ing held by ay packing' lgland-`107:and is con'- Y downwardly 'through theA hose aand isl con- "This-wire leads into the submarineso that on pulling koi the wire by the vcrew the fran-z..V

gible top 108 maybebrokenfandthus allow allowing a lfree inflowIo-f air.' Itfisftol be understood'that the vair will be drawn in the submarine preferably means of a pump."

InFig. 9 I illustrate a mannervv of con! nectingajlifting or mooring ring or hook to v the hoolrj84 invwhich case. the buoy is des. tached from the cable 38 byJa salvagevessel 87. A ring 112'isattachedto the cable 38 .and

also a mooringvor liftingfcab1e113is attached to the ring.l .The-*cablef38".is"then' drawn downwardly into tliesubmarine andthe ring 112` svbrought` into' engagement .with the hook 84. If o nthefirstattempt the'riiig does not engage the hoolntlie 'mooring' cable .t

113 maybe drawn upwardly slightly and thentlie cable .-38 may be-'pulled down into the-submarine; 1 The purpose of: connecting ofthe -cable 38'connected'to the buoy notzbe- "ing suficiently strong'for mooring 'a salvage vessel or for use in lifting. By this means a salvagey vesselV may; be .quickly mooredjto la f .m5

-ers or grapplefor the submarine from a salvage vesselr Y. A, Small portV holes 114 having heavyy glass."

therein ai'e"pro'vided,inthe wall; 12 of vthe' buoy compartment. Theseare preferably.

placeddiametrically opposite and by projectingla lightthrough onelof the port holes ob-z serversontheother side can ascertain ifthe mooring .ring or :hoolr properly engagesk the Q lifting. hook 84 andby means 'of the telephone `they can communicate with tne salvage vesseladvisingwhether tolift or to lower the hook or ring or whatdirection of movement topi .givethis Rubber buffers 115 are provided on n@ interior of the buoy compartment, preventing bumping of they buoy against the( sidesof the compartment. 1 f Various changes may be made in the princi'- ples of my invention ywithout departing from" thespirit'thereof as set forthl in tion, drawings and claims.

Lclaiin: .f A 1'. l' `,1. In a devicek as' described, a submarine the. descripi lat),

loof vthe lifting or mooring'cable 113 is on account J f having a'float'able buoy connected thereto, a

vcable connection from the buoy to the submarine, a series of rockets or flares mounted in the buoy, afrangible cover covering the top of each of the rockets or dares, and an 'having a rubber Washer slidable on its pekriphery and engaging the said guide, means to pull the hose inwardly through the sleeve,

y and means to press the sleeve against the out-y side of thehose., y

. 3.In a device as described, a submarine having a structure with a resilient compressible sleeve extending from its interior Vto the exterior, a cable having a bushing fitting in the said sleeve and extending outwardly from the submarine, means to engage the cable at the end of a hose, means to draw the cable into the submarine, the bushing becoming displaced, and means to press the sleeve against the exterior of the hose.

4. In a device as described, as claimed in claim 2, the submarine having a flared struc-V lture on its exterior withan opening in alinenient with the sleeve and the hose having a resilient washer slidable on its exterior and engaging the said flared structure.

5. In a device as described, a submarine having a structure with a resilient compressi* ble sleeve connecting the interior land exterior, a split clamp on the sleeve, means to compress said clamp', a bushing in the sleeve,

a cable extending outwardly through the bushing, a floatable buoy detachably connected to the cableand a hose, means to connect the hose to the cable, and means to draw the cable and the hose through the said sleeve into the interior of the submarine.

6. o In a device as described, a floatable buo having a' top structure with a plurality of compartments for flares or rockets, each vcompartment having a frangible covering, a`

y rocket or flare in each compartment, and

electricalmeans to ignite the rockets or flares.

-. In device as described, a floatable Vbuoy having a top with a basket structure depending therefrom in the linterior of the buoy,'said basket'structure having a plurality of compartments, eachhaving a frangible top, a` rocketor Hare in each compartment,

an electrical connection to each compartmentl and from each compartment to each flare for the igniting of'any one of the flares, a hand hole in the top structure'having a removable VplugY and means in theinterior of the buoy having an electrical connection whereby electric` communication may be had with ajsubf marine or the like.

8. Ina device as described, a submarine buoy supported therein, a hatch having a plurality7 of leaves, a latch pivotally een nected to the hatch and having a latch hook engaging a detent on the submarine, the latch having means engaging the buoy, means to flow water into the compartment whereby the floating of the buoy releases the latch, and means operable to open the leaves of the hatch after unlatching, the means to flow water into the compartment comprising openings through the hatch having a frangible covering therefor, said covering being adapted to break under a predetermined water pressure.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

imV 

